Gravity energy storage system

Abstract

The application provides a gravity energy storage system, which specifically comprises a mass block, a transmission assembly and a motor. When gravity potential energy needs to be stored, the motor works to lift the mass block through the transmission assembly to store the gravity potential energy. When electricity needs to be generated, the mass block falls to release the gravity potential energy, and the falling mass block pulls the motor through the transmission assembly to generate electricity. The height of the mass block is in a preset height ratio with the gravity energy storage height, and the preset height ratio is between 0.4 and 0.6. In this way, more gravity potential energy can be stored / released under the limited gravity energy storage height, so that the energy density of the gravity energy storage system is significantly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of gravity energy storage technology, and in particular to a gravity energy storage system. Background Technology

[0002] Gravity energy storage is a mechanical form of energy storage. Its storage medium is primarily water or solid materials. The charging and discharging process of the energy storage system is achieved by raising and lowering the storage medium based on a height difference. Because of the high fluidity of water, water-based gravity energy storage systems can utilize well-sealed pipes, shafts, and other structures. Its site selection flexibility and storage capacity are limited by terrain and water sources; large-scale energy storage systems are easier to build near natural water sources. Solid-weight gravity energy storage mainly utilizes mountains, underground shafts, and man-made structures. The weight is generally a high-density material, such as metal, cement, or sand and gravel, to achieve higher energy density.

[0003] However, due to the upper limit of object density, as well as the influence of cost and quantity, it is obviously limited to increase the energy density of gravity energy storage systems simply by increasing the density of heavy objects.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a gravity energy storage system with high energy density has become an urgent technical challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a gravity energy storage system with high energy density to address the aforementioned technical problems.

[0006] This application provides a gravity energy storage system, including a mass block, a transmission assembly, and a motor;

[0007] The motor is used by the transmission assembly to lift the mass block to a preset gravity energy storage height; when the mass block releases its gravitational potential energy, it pulls the motor through the transmission assembly to generate electrical energy.

[0008] The height of the mass block is in a preset height ratio to the gravity energy storage height, and the preset height ratio is between 0.4 and 0.6.

[0009] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the gravity energy storage system includes a mass block, a transmission component, and a motor. When it is necessary to store gravitational potential energy, the motor does work to lift the mass block through the transmission component to store gravitational potential energy. When electricity is needed, the mass block falls to release gravitational potential energy. The falling mass block pulls the motor through the transmission component to generate electrical energy. The height of the mass block and the gravity energy storage height are in a preset height ratio, which is between 0.4 and 0.6. This allows for the storage / release of more gravitational potential energy within a limited gravity energy storage height, thereby significantly improving the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0010] In some embodiments, the preset height ratio is 0.5.

[0011] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the preset height ratio is 0.5, that is, the height of the mass block is 1 / 2 of the gravity energy storage height. According to the calculation formula of gravity potential energy, when the preset height ratio is 1 / 2, under the limited gravity energy storage height, the mass block can store or release the maximum gravity potential energy, which can significantly improve the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0012] In some embodiments, the mass block includes a first mass block and a second mass block; the heights of the first mass block and the second mass block are different, and the preset gravity energy storage heights corresponding to the first mass block and the second mass block are different.

[0013] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the first mass block and the second mass block have different heights and different preset gravity energy storage heights, which can meet the energy storage / release requirements of a single mass block in different application scenarios, and further improve the flexibility and adaptability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0014] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly includes a cable and a base with a follower, one end of the cable is fixed, the other end of the cable is connected to the motor, and the cable is arranged around the follower on the base; the mass block is placed on the base.

[0015] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the transmission assembly includes a cable and a base with a driven member. The mass block is placed on the base, meaning the base can move (vertically) along the lifting and falling direction of the mass block. When the motor is working, the motor pulls the cable, causing the base and the mass block to continuously rise and store gravitational potential energy. When electrical energy is needed, the base and the mass block fall and pull the cable, thereby driving the motor to generate electrical energy. Here, because the base has a driven member and the base can move, the transmission assembly is equivalent to a "movable pulley" structure that saves effort, reducing the traction force required to lift the mass block, thereby reducing the requirement for the magnitude of the motor's traction force and improving the applicability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0016] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly further includes a fixed follower, the fixed follower being fixed in position, the cable passing around the fixed follower, and the fixed follower being used to change the direction of movement of the cable.

[0017] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the transmission component further includes a fixed follower, which is used to change the direction of cable movement. This makes it easier to set the relative position of the motor and the transmission component, and increases the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0018] In some embodiments, there are multiple mass blocks, multiple base supports, and multiple fixed followers. Each mass block is placed on a different base support, and the base supports are arranged side by side.

[0019] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, multiple mass blocks, a base, and a fixed follower are provided. This allows multiple mass blocks to be used to store and release gravitational potential energy, thereby significantly improving the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0020] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly further includes a lockable follower, the cable passing sequentially around the follower of the first base, the lockable follower, and the follower of the second base, wherein the first base and the second base are two adjacent bases side by side.

[0021] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the transmission component also includes a lockable follower. When the lockable follower is locked, the two adjacent mass blocks are relatively independent. The mass block closer to the motor can store or release energy as needed, while the mass block farther from the motor remains stationary and does not participate in the energy storage or release action of the gravity energy storage system. Therefore, the lockable follower can adjust the mass blocks participating in energy storage and release, improve the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system, and meet the needs of different application scenarios.

[0022] In some embodiments, the mass block includes a first mass block and a second mass block; the fixed follower includes a first fixed follower and a second fixed follower; the first mass block is placed on the first base, the second mass block is placed on the second base, and the cable passes sequentially around the first fixed follower, the follower of the first base, the lockable follower, the follower of the second base, and the second fixed follower.

[0023] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the mass block includes a first mass block and a second mass block, and two base supports are provided to support the two mass blocks. In addition, a fixed follower is provided to adjust the lifting direction of the cable. In this way, two mass blocks can be used to store and release gravitational potential energy, which further significantly improves the energy density of the gravity energy storage system. Furthermore, a lockable follower is provided between the two mass blocks to achieve relatively independent control of the movement between the two mass blocks, so as to meet the needs of different application scenarios and improve the flexibility and adaptability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0024] In some embodiments, the gravity energy storage system further includes a controller, which is connected to the motor and the lockable follower respectively. The controller is used to control the motor to perform work and to control the lockable follower to lock or unlock.

[0025] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the gravity energy storage system also includes a controller. The controller is used to control the motor to do work and to control the locking or unlocking of the lockable slave, thereby switching the entire gravity energy storage system to store energy and release energy to generate electricity. Furthermore, by controlling the locking or unlocking of the slave corresponding to each mass block, the mass blocks participating in energy storage and release can be adjusted, thereby improving the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system and meeting the needs of different application scenarios.

[0026] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to acquire the current power demand and the converted power corresponding to the complete release of the gravitational potential energy of a single mass block, determine the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy based on the power demand and the converted power, and control the unlockable slave to unlock based on the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy.

[0027] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the controller specifically determines the number of mass blocks required to meet the current power demand (power gap) based on the current power demand and the conversion power corresponding to the release of the gravitational potential energy of a single mass block. Then, based on the determined number of mass blocks, it determines the mass blocks to release gravitational potential energy and controls the corresponding lockable slave to unlock, thereby realizing the orderly and quantitative release of gravitational potential energy, which can save energy while meeting the power demand.

[0028] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to, upon receiving an energy storage request, identify a mass block whose gravitational potential energy has been released, determine that the mass block whose gravitational potential energy has been released corresponds to the lockable follower on the side away from the motor, push a locking command to the determined lockable follower, and push a power start command to the motor.

[0029] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the controller is also used to identify the mass block that has finished releasing its gravitational potential energy, and lift the mass block by controlling the locking of the lockable follower corresponding to the mass block and controlling the motor to start working, so as to realize the mass block to store energy relatively independently and improve the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0030] In some embodiments, the cable is a chain and the driven member is a gear set; or, the cable is a rope and the driven member is a pulley set.

[0031] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the cable can be a chain and the driven component can be a gear set; the cable can be a rope and the driven component can be a pulley set. Using conventional and reliable cables and driven components can improve the reliability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0032] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a traditional gravity energy storage system.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the gravity energy storage system of this application in one embodiment;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the gravity energy storage system of this application in another embodiment;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the gravity energy storage system of this application in another embodiment;

[0037] Figure 5 Here is a schematic diagram of the gravity energy storage system of this application in one embodiment;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the energy storage process of the gravity energy storage system in this application example.

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the energy release process of the gravity energy storage system in this application example. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0043] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0044] In traditional technologies, such as Figure 1 As shown, a traditional gravity energy storage system consists of three parts: a motor, a mass block, and ropes. The motor suspends the mass block via the ropes to store gravitational potential energy. When electrical energy is needed, the mass block falls, pulling the motor through the ropes to generate and output electrical energy. According to the formula for calculating gravitational potential energy, the gravitational potential energy released by a falling object is related to its mass and the height of its fall. Therefore, to store / release greater gravitational potential energy, one would typically increase the mass of the mass block and / or increase the height of the fall, i.e., increase the mass of the mass block or increase the height of the gravity storage. However, due to limitations in cost, space, and other factors, increasing the energy density of the energy storage system in these two dimensions has become extremely difficult.

[0045] The inventors of this application have noticed that, during the descent of an actual mass block, when mass blocks of the same mass fall from the same gravitational energy storage height, the released gravitational potential energy can be altered by changing the height of the mass block. Specifically, when the height of the mass block is in a preset height ratio to the gravitational energy storage height, the stored / released gravitational potential energy of the mass block can be significantly increased, thereby increasing the energy density of the entire gravitational energy storage system. Furthermore, when the preset height ratio reaches 0.5, the stored / released gravitational potential energy of the mass block reaches its maximum value. The following will use examples and rigorous mathematical calculations to explain in detail the above-mentioned technical principles and the calculation process of the specific preset height ratio. Specifically, as follows... Figure 1 The design of the mass block size in a finite gravitational energy storage space was simulated. Assuming the gravitational potential energy of the mass block is Ep, its mass is M, and its lifting height is H, then according to the formula for calculating gravitational potential energy, we can know:

[0046] Ep = M * H

[0047] Assuming the finite gravity energy storage height is h1 and the height of the mass block is h2, then the lifting height H of the mass block is:

[0048] H = h1 - h2

[0049] If the density of the mass block is designed to be a fixed value, and the shape and area of ​​its base remain unchanged, then we can assume that its mass per unit height is m, and thus its mass M can be known as:

[0050] M = m * h2

[0051] then:

[0052] Ep=(m*h2)*(h1-h2)

[0053] Ep = m * h1 * h2 - m * h2 2

[0054] Based on the above formula, we can see that the gravitational potential energy Ep of the mass block is related to the mass block's height h2, gravitational energy storage height h1, and the mass block's density (as mentioned above, m represents the mass block's density). However, increasing gravitational potential energy using only h1 and m is currently very difficult. Therefore, the inventors propose increasing the mass block's gravitational potential energy by adjusting the mass block's height h2, given a limited gravitational energy storage height h1. Specifically, the mass block's height h2 and gravitational energy storage height h1 can be set according to a specific ratio. The expression for the gravitational potential energy Ep is a quadratic function. Based on the characteristics of quadratic functions, a larger gravitational potential energy Ep can be obtained when the ratio of the mass block's height h2 to its gravitational energy storage height h1 is around 1 / 2. Furthermore, experimental calculations show that a larger gravitational potential energy can be obtained when the ratio of the mass block's height h2 to its gravitational energy storage height h1 is between 0.4 and 0.6.

[0055] The inventors of this application further discovered that, when the height h2 of the mass block is a variable and the total height h1 of the gravitational energy storage is a constant, according to the quadratic function vertex formula, it can be known that:

[0056]

[0057] at this time:

[0058]

[0059] Therefore, when the height h1 of the mass block is equal to half of the total height of the gravity energy storage (i.e., 1 / 2 * h1), the gravity energy storage system achieves the optimal height ratio.

[0060] Based on the above-mentioned inventive concept, the gravity energy storage system of this application includes a mass block, a transmission component, and a motor. When it is necessary to store gravitational potential energy, the motor performs work to lift the mass block through the transmission component to store gravitational potential energy. When electricity is needed, the mass block falls to release gravitational potential energy. The falling mass block pulls the motor through the transmission component to generate electrical energy. The height of the mass block and the gravity energy storage height are in a preset height ratio, which is between 0.4 and 0.6. In this way, more gravitational potential energy can be stored / released within a limited gravity energy storage height, thereby significantly improving the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0061] like Figure 2As shown, this application provides a gravity energy storage system, including a mass block 100, a transmission assembly 200, and a motor 300;

[0062] The motor 300 is used to lift the mass block 100 to a preset gravity energy storage height through the transmission component 200; when the mass block 100 releases its gravitational potential energy, it pulls the motor 300 to generate electrical energy through the transmission component 200.

[0063] The height of mass block 100 is in a preset height ratio with the gravity energy storage height, which is between 0.4 and 0.6.

[0064] The mass block 100 can be designed in the shape of a cuboid. As mentioned above, the height h2 of the mass block needs to be in a preset height ratio with the gravity energy storage height h1. In this way, the mass block 100 can increase the amount of gravitational potential energy stored / released at the same gravity energy storage height h1. In practical applications, the mass block 100 can be made of stone, cement, metal, etc., and the specific choice can be made according to the actual application scenario requirements.

[0065] The transmission component 200 is a force transmission component, which includes the gravity of the mass block 100 and the traction force of the motor 300. When the mass block 100 falls and releases gravitational potential energy, the gravity of the mass block 100 is transmitted to the motor 300 through the transmission component 200. The motor 300 converts the gravitational potential energy released by the mass block 100 into electrical energy. When the mass block 100 is lifted to store gravitational potential energy, the motor 300 does work, and its traction force is transmitted to the mass block 100 through the transmission component 200, gradually lifting the mass block 100 against gravity. The transmission component 200 may specifically include cables and some related driven components, such as pulley systems, gear sets, etc. These pulley systems or gear sets can be designed as related force-saving structures, which will be further described in subsequent embodiments.

[0066] The motor 300 refers to an electromagnetic device that converts or transmits electrical energy based on the law of electromagnetic induction. It consists of a motor (symbol M) and a generator (symbol G). In this case, the motor 300 combines both a motor and a generator. When storing gravitational potential energy, the motor is energized and, through the transmission assembly 200, pulls the mass block 100, causing it to rise continuously and store gravitational potential energy. When releasing gravitational potential energy, the mass block 100 falls and, through the transmission assembly 200, pulls the generator to rotate, generating electrical energy.

[0067] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the gravity energy storage system includes a mass block 100, a transmission component 200, and a motor 300. When it is necessary to store gravitational potential energy, the motor 300 performs work to lift the mass block 100 through the transmission component 200 to store gravitational potential energy. When electricity is needed, the mass block 100 falls to release gravitational potential energy. The falling mass block 100 pulls the motor 300 through the transmission component 200 to generate electrical energy. The height h2 of the mass block and the gravity energy storage height h1 are in a preset height ratio, which is between 0.4 and 0.6. This allows for the storage / release of more gravitational potential energy within a limited gravity energy storage height, thereby significantly improving the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0068] In some embodiments, the preset height ratio is 0.5.

[0069] Based on the calculations described above, it is known that when the ratio of mass block 100 to the gravity storage height h1 is 1 / 2, mass block 100 can release / store the maximum gravitational potential energy. It should be noted that this 1 / 2 ratio is the optimal height ratio under ideal conditions, without considering factors such as the friction of the transmission component 200, the buffer height reserved in the gravity storage project construction, the space required for transmission components (e.g., ropes), motors, and other minor parameters. In practical engineering applications, considering the actual application environment and frictional losses, the height ratio can be selected between 0.4 and 0.6.

[0070] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the preset height ratio is 1 / 2, that is, the height h2 of the mass block is 1 / 2 of the gravity energy storage height h1. According to the calculation formula of gravity potential energy, when the preset height ratio is 1 / 2, under the limited gravity energy storage height h1, the mass block 100 can store or release the maximum gravity potential energy, which can significantly improve the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0071] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the transmission assembly 200 includes a cable 220 and a base 240 with a follower. One end of the cable 220 is fixed, the other end of the cable 220 is connected to the motor 300, and the cable 220 is arranged around the follower on the base 240; the mass block 100 is placed on the base 240.

[0072] The 220 cable can be a rope or chain, etc. The rope can be made of high-strength fiber materials, etc.

[0073] The base 240 supports the mass block 100. A driven component is mounted on the base 240; the driven component is an object that moves along with the driving component. In this application, the driving component includes a motor 300 storing gravitational potential energy and the mass block 100 releasing gravitational potential energy. When the motor 300 rotates as the driving component, it drives the driven component, causing the base 240 to rise continuously, thus continuously raising the mass block 100. When releasing gravitational potential energy, the mass block 100, acting as the driving component, falls and pulls the cable 220, thereby driving the driven component. Specifically, the driven component can be a pulley system or a gear system. Since the entire base 240 is movable, the driven component acts as a "movable pulley" during movement, achieving a labor-saving effect.

[0074] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the transmission assembly 200 includes a cable 220 and a base 240 with a driven member. The mass block 100 is placed on the base 240, meaning the base 240 can move (vertically) along the lifting and falling direction of the mass block 100. When the motor 300 is working, the motor 300 pulls the cable 220 to continuously lift the base 240 and the mass block 100, storing gravitational potential energy. When electrical energy is needed, the base 240 and the mass block 100 fall and pull the cable 220, thereby driving the motor 300 to generate electrical energy. Here, because the base 240 is equipped with a driven member and the base 240 is movable, the transmission assembly 200 is equivalent to a "movable pulley" structure that saves effort, reducing the traction force required to lift the mass block 100, thereby reducing the requirement for the traction force of the motor 300 and improving the applicability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0075] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the transmission assembly 200 further includes a fixed follower 260, which is fixed in position, and the cable 220 passes around the fixed follower 260. The fixed follower 260 is used to change the direction of movement of the cable 220.

[0076] The fixed follower 260 refers to an object fixed in a certain position that rotates with the driving member. It can be understood as a "fixed pulley" structure, specifically a fixed pulley system or a gear system with a fixed position. The fixed follower 260 can change the direction of movement of the cable 220. Specifically, when lifting the mass block 100, the motor 300 needs to pull the cable 220 to move vertically, which is obviously inconvenient for the motor 300. By setting a fixed follower 260, such as a fixed pulley system, between the mass block 100 (base support 240) and the motor 300, the cable 220, which originally needed to move vertically, can be adjusted to move horizontally on the side of the motor 300, which can improve the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0077] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the transmission component 200 further includes a fixed follower 260, which is used to change the direction of movement of the cable 220. This makes it easier to set the relative position of the motor 300 and the transmission component 200, and increases the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0078] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, there are multiple mass blocks, multiple base supports, and multiple fixed followers. Each mass block is placed on a different base support, and the base supports are arranged side by side.

[0079] In this embodiment, there are multiple mass blocks and base supports, as well as multiple fixed followers. Each mass block, base support, and its associated cable can be regarded as an independent gravitational potential energy storage / release unit, while the fixed followers facilitate the parallel series connection of these individual energy storage / release units.

[0080] by Figure 4 Taking the specific embodiment shown as an example, in this embodiment, the transmission component includes a first fixed pulley, a second fixed pulley, a third fixed pulley, a fourth fixed pulley, a base with pulleys, and mass blocks including mass block 1, mass block 2, and mass block 3. The cable is a rope, one end of which is connected to the motor, and the other end of which is fixed to the wall. The rope passes sequentially from the motor end through the first fixed pulley, the pulley on the first base, the second fixed pulley, the pulley on the second base, the third fixed pulley, the pulley on the third base, and the fourth fixed pulley, and is finally fixed to the wall. Mass blocks 1, 2, and 3 are connected in series on the same rope, and three mass blocks can be selected to store and release gravitational potential energy, which can significantly improve the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0081] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, multiple mass blocks, a base, and a fixed follower are provided. This allows multiple mass blocks to be used to store and release gravitational potential energy, thereby significantly improving the energy density of the gravity energy storage system.

[0082] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the transmission assembly further includes a lockable follower 280, and the cable 220 passes sequentially around the follower of the first base, the lockable follower 280, and the follower of the second base, wherein the first base and the second base are two adjacent bases side by side.

[0083] The lockable follower 280 has two states: locked and unlocked. In the locked state, the movement of one side of the cable is not transmitted to the other side, ensuring the independence of the movement of the two mass blocks. In the unlocked state, the lockable follower 280 functions like a regular fixed follower. In this embodiment, the fixed follower between different mass blocks is replaced by the lockable follower 280, achieving relative independence of movement between different mass blocks. Furthermore, the lockable follower 280 can be a lockable pulley. Taking the lockable pulley 1 between mass block 1 and mass block 2 as an example, when the lockable pulley 1 is locked, the movement of mass block 1 will not affect mass block 2. That is, when mass block 2 is at 100% stored gravitational potential energy (mass block 2 is at its highest point), mass block 1 can release gravitational potential energy by falling alone, or mass block 1 can be lifted from the bottom to a high point to store gravitational potential energy. The function of the lockable pulley between mass block 2 and mass block 3 is similar and will not be described further here.

[0084] Furthermore, the transmission assembly may also include a winch, which is used to change the direction of the cable or to increase the number of cable strands.

[0085] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the transmission component also includes a lockable follower 280. When the lockable follower is locked, the two adjacent mass blocks are relatively independent. The mass block closer to the motor can store or release energy as needed, while the mass block farther from the motor remains stationary and does not participate in the energy storage or release action of the gravity energy storage system. Therefore, the lockable follower 280 can adjust the mass blocks participating in energy storage and release, improve the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system, and meet the needs of different application scenarios.

[0086] In some embodiments, the mass block includes a first mass block and a second mass block; the fixed follower includes a first fixed follower and a second fixed follower; the first mass block is placed on a first base, the second mass block is placed on a second base, and the cable sequentially passes through the first fixed follower, the follower of the first base, the lockable follower, the follower of the second base, and the second fixed follower; the height of the first mass block and the height of the second mass block are different, and the preset gravity energy storage heights corresponding to the first mass block and the second mass block are different.

[0087] In this embodiment, a first mass block and a second mass block are provided, and a lockable follower is provided between the two mass blocks. During energy storage, the lockable follower can be locked first. The motor works to continuously lift the first mass block via a cable. When the first mass block is lifted to its corresponding gravity energy storage height, the travel track corresponding to the first mass block is held at the gravity energy storage height. Then, the lockable follower is unlocked, and the motor continues to pull the cable to lift the second mass block until it reaches its corresponding gravity energy storage height, thus realizing the energy storage process of the two mass blocks. Correspondingly, during energy release, the lockable follower can be locked first, and the first mass block falls, releasing gravitational potential energy. This energy is then used to rotate the generator part of the motor via a cable to output electrical energy. When the first mass block falls to the bottom, the lockable follower is unlocked again, and the second mass block falls, releasing gravitational potential energy. This energy is then used to rotate the generator part of the motor via a cable to output electrical energy. It should be noted that during both charging and releasing, the lockable follower can remain unlocked, allowing the first and second mass blocks to move almost synchronously. Furthermore, in practical applications, the travel track latches of the first and second mass blocks can be used to allow the first and second mass blocks to move independently when the first mass block is raised / lowered to a certain height and the lockable follower is unlocked.

[0088] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the mass block includes a first mass block and a second mass block, and two base supports are provided to support the two mass blocks. In addition, a fixed follower is provided to adjust the lifting direction of the cable. In this way, two mass blocks can be used to store and release gravitational potential energy, which further significantly improves the energy density of the gravity energy storage system. Furthermore, a lockable follower is provided between the two mass blocks to achieve relatively independent control of the movement between the two mass blocks, which improves the flexibility and adaptability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0089] In some embodiments, the heights of the first mass block and the second mass block are different, and the preset gravity energy storage heights corresponding to the first mass block and the second mass block are different.

[0090] The ratio of the height of the first mass block to the corresponding gravity energy storage height is 0.4 to 0.6; the ratio of the height of the second mass block to the corresponding gravity energy storage height is 0.4 to 0.6.

[0091] In this embodiment, based on the setting of a first mass block and a second mass block, the two mass blocks are set with different heights and gravity energy storage heights to meet the needs of different application scenarios. Specifically, the ratio of the height of the two mass blocks to the corresponding gravity energy storage height can be between 0.4 and 0.6. Preferably, the ratio of the height of the two mass blocks to the corresponding gravity energy storage height can be approximately 0.5, so that under theoretical conditions, the gravitational potential energy stored / released by the two mass blocks reaches its maximum value, which can greatly improve the energy density of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0092] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the first mass block and the second mass block have different heights and different preset gravity energy storage heights, which can meet the energy storage / release requirements of a single mass block in different application scenarios, and further improve the flexibility and adaptability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0093] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the above-mentioned gravity energy storage system further includes a controller 400, which is connected to the motor 300 and the lockable follower 280 respectively (for clarity, in...). Figure 5 (The connection between the controller, the motor, and the lockable slave is not shown in the diagram). The controller 400 is used to control the motor 300 to perform work and to control the lockable slave 280 to lock or unlock.

[0094] The controller 400 serves as the core control unit of the entire gravity energy storage system. Its main functions are to control and adjust the state of the motor 300 and the lockable slave 280. For example, it can control the motor 300 to rotate and pull the cable to store gravitational potential energy, or control the generator part of the motor 300 to operate, generating electrical energy when the mass block falls and pulls the cable. Additionally, the controller 400 can also control the locking or unlocking of the lockable slave 280. For instance, when mass block 1 and mass block 2 need to be relatively independent, it controls the lockable slave 280 between mass block 1 and mass block 2 to lock; when mass block 1 and mass block 2 need to be linked, it controls the lockable slave 280 between mass block 1 and mass block 2 to unlock.

[0095] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the gravity energy storage system also includes a controller 400. The controller 400 is used to control the motor 300 to do work and to control the lockable follower 280 to lock or unlock, thereby switching the entire gravity energy storage system to store energy and release energy to generate electricity. Furthermore, by controlling the locking or unlocking of the follower corresponding to each mass block, the mass blocks participating in energy storage and release can be adjusted, thereby improving the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system and meeting the needs of different application scenarios.

[0096] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to acquire the current power demand and the converted power corresponding to the complete release of the gravitational potential energy of a single mass block, determine the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy based on the power demand and the converted power, and control the unlocking of the lockable slave based on the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy.

[0097] Current electricity demand refers to the current power gap that needs to be supplemented by the gravity energy storage system, specifically data issued by the entire power dispatch system. The converted electricity corresponding to the complete release of the gravitational potential energy of a single mass block refers to the electricity converted from the gravitational potential energy released when a single mass block falls from its highest point (100% gravitational potential energy) to its lowest point (0% gravitational potential energy). This needs to consider energy conversion efficiency and energy loss, and the overall conversion efficiency can be obtained through calibration under experimental conditions. Dividing the current electricity demand by the converted electricity of a single mass block and rounding up yields the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy. After determining the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy, a corresponding number of lockable slave components are unlocked. These mass blocks will fall and release gravitational potential energy, which is then converted into electrical output by the motor.

[0098] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the controller specifically determines the number of mass blocks required to meet the current power demand (power gap) based on the current power demand and the conversion power corresponding to the release of the gravitational potential energy of a single mass block. Then, based on the determined number of mass blocks, it determines the mass blocks to release gravitational potential energy and controls the corresponding lockable slave to unlock, thereby realizing the orderly and quantitative release of gravitational potential energy, which can save energy while meeting the power demand.

[0099] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to, upon receiving an energy storage request, identify a mass block whose gravitational potential energy has been released, determine that the mass block whose gravitational potential energy has been released corresponds to a lockable slave on the side away from the motor, push a locking command to the determined lockable slave, and push a power start command to the motor.

[0100] A mass block that has fully released its gravitational potential energy refers to the mass block that has fallen to its lowest point. When an energy storage request is received, the mass block that has fully released its gravitational potential energy is given priority, as this type of mass block can store the most gravitational potential energy. After identifying this type of mass block, a lockable follower corresponding to this mass block on the side away from the motor is determined, and the lockable follower is locked. In this way, the mass block that has fully released its gravitational potential energy will be relatively independent from the mass block on the side away from the motor. A start-up command is pushed to the motor, the motor starts to rotate, pulls the cable, and thus continuously raises the mass block to store gravitational potential energy.

[0101] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the controller is also used to identify the mass block that has finished releasing its gravitational potential energy, and lift the mass block by controlling the locking of the lockable follower corresponding to the mass block and controlling the motor to start working, so as to realize the mass block to store energy relatively independently and improve the flexibility of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0102] In some embodiments, the cable is a chain and the driven member is a gear set; or, the cable is a rope and the driven member is a pulley set.

[0103] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the cable can be a chain and the driven component can be a gear set; the cable can be a rope and the driven component can be a pulley set. Using conventional and reliable cables and driven components can improve the reliability of the entire gravity energy storage system.

[0104] To illustrate the technical solution of the gravity energy storage system of this application in detail, the entire solution will be described in detail below with specific embodiments of the energy storage and release processes.

[0105] like Figure 6 As shown, all three mass blocks in the gravity energy storage system have reached the bottom, and the system is at 0% charge. When electrical resources are abundant, the controller powers the motor, which pulls the winch to lift the mass blocks, converting electrical energy into gravitational potential energy. Once the energy storage reaches the designated charging state or all surplus electrical resources are stored, the control system stops the motor and simultaneously locks the mass blocks in place using track clamps, preventing the stored energy from being released and awaiting further control commands from the controller. Specifically, during energy storage, all lockable driven parts (lockable pulleys) are locked. The motor is powered on and pulls the cable, gradually raising mass block 1 to store gravitational potential energy. When mass block 1 reaches the gravity storage height, the travel track latch of mass block 1 keeps it at the gravity storage height. The controller unlocks the lockable driven parts between mass block 1 and mass block 2, while the lockable driven parts between mass block 2 and mass block 3 remain locked, thus separating mass block 1 and mass block 2. The motor continues to work and pull the cable, raising mass block 2 to the gravity storage height. The travel track latch of mass block 2 keeps it at the gravity storage height, and the controller unlocks the lockable driven parts between mass block 2 and mass block 3, thus separating mass block 2 and mass block 3. The motor continues to work and pull the cable, raising mass block 3 to the gravity storage height, at which point the entire gravity energy storage system reaches 100% charging.

[0106] During the energy release process, such as Figure 7As shown, initially, the charging state reaches 100%. When power resources are scarce, the gravity energy storage system needs to release gravitational potential energy to generate electricity. At this time, the controller unlocks the latches of the locked mass block, causing the mass block to slide down under gravity. Simultaneously, the motor rotates via the cable, and the motor is in generator mode, converting the mechanical energy of rotation into electrical energy and feeding it back to the power demander. Specifically, during energy release, all lockable slaves remain locked. Mass block 1 falls, releasing gravitational potential energy, which drives the motor to rotate via the cable. When mass block 1 reaches the bottom, the lockable slave between mass block 1 and mass block 2 is unlocked, and mass block 2 falls, releasing gravitational potential energy. It again drives the motor to rotate via the cable, causing the generator part in the motor to generate electricity. When mass block 2 reaches the bottom, the lockable slave between mass block 2 and mass block 3 is unlocked, and mass block 3 falls, releasing gravitational potential energy. It again drives the motor to rotate via the cable, causing the generator part in the motor to generate electricity.

[0107] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0108] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed. However, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A gravity energy storage system, characterized in that, Includes a mass block, transmission components, and a motor; The motor is used by the transmission assembly to lift the mass block to a preset gravity energy storage height; when the mass block releases its gravitational potential energy, it pulls the motor through the transmission assembly to generate electrical energy. The height of the mass block is in a preset height ratio to the gravity energy storage height, and the preset height ratio is between 0.4 and 0.

6. The transmission assembly includes a cable, a base with a follower, a fixed follower, and a lockable follower. The fixed follower is fixed in position and is used to change the direction of movement of the cable. There are multiple mass blocks, multiple bases, and multiple fixed followers. Each mass block is placed on a different base, and the bases are arranged side by side. The mass block includes a first mass block and a second mass block. The fixed follower includes a first fixed follower and a second fixed follower. The base includes a first base and a second base. The first mass block is placed on the first base, and the second mass block is placed on the second base. The cable sequentially winds around the first fixed follower, the follower of the first base, the lockable follower, the follower of the second base, and the second fixed follower. During energy storage, the lockable follower is locked first. The motor performs work to continuously lift the first mass block via the cable. When the first mass block is lifted to the corresponding gravity energy storage height, the first mass block... The mass block is held at the gravity storage height by the corresponding travel track latch. Then, the lockable follower is unlocked, and the motor continues to pull the cable to lift the second mass block until it reaches the corresponding gravity storage height, thus realizing the energy storage process of the two mass blocks. When releasing energy, the lockable follower is locked first, and the first mass block falls and releases gravitational potential energy. The cable pulls the generator part of the motor to rotate and output electrical energy. When the first mass block falls to the bottom, the lockable follower is unlocked again, and the second mass block falls and releases gravitational potential energy. The cable continues to pull the generator part of the motor to rotate and output electrical energy.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes: The mass block includes a first mass block, a second mass block, and a third mass block. The fixed follower includes a first fixed follower and a second fixed follower. The base includes a first base, a second base, and a third base. The first mass block is placed on the first base, the second mass block is placed on the second base, and the third mass block is placed on the third base. A lockable follower is respectively provided between the first mass block and the second mass block, and between the second mass block and the third mass block. The cable sequentially passes through the first fixed follower, the follower of the first base, and the third fixed follower. The system includes a lockable follower between the first mass block and the second mass block, a follower of the second base, a lockable follower between the second mass block and the third mass block, and a second fixed follower. During energy storage, all lockable followers are initially locked. The motor is energized and pulls the cable, gradually raising the first mass block to store gravitational potential energy. When the first mass block reaches the gravitational energy storage height, the travel track latch of the first mass block maintains it at this height, controlling the lockable follower between the first and second mass blocks. When the first mass block is unlocked, the lockable driven members between the second and third mass blocks remain locked. The motor continues to work, pulling the cable, and the second mass block rises to the gravity storage height. The second mass block is held at the gravity storage height by the travel track latch. The lockable driven members between the second and third mass blocks are then unlocked, and the motor continues to work, pulling the cable, and the third mass block rises to the gravity storage height. During energy release, all lockable driven members remain locked, the first mass block falls, releasing gravitational potential energy, and the energy is released through the... The cable drives the motor to rotate. When the first mass block descends to the bottom, the lockable follower between the first and second mass blocks is unlocked. The second mass block falls and releases gravitational potential energy, which again drives the motor to rotate via the cable, so that the generator part of the motor generates electricity. When the second mass block descends to the bottom, the lockable follower between the second and third mass blocks is unlocked. The third mass block falls and releases gravitational potential energy, which again drives the motor to rotate via the cable, so that the generator part of the motor generates electricity.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset height ratio is 0.

5.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heights of the first mass block and the second mass block are different, and the preset gravity energy storage heights corresponding to the first mass block and the second mass block are different.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a controller, which is connected to the motor and the lockable follower respectively. The controller is used to control the motor to do work and to control the lockable follower to lock or unlock.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The controller is also used to acquire the current power demand and the conversion power corresponding to the release of the gravitational potential energy of a single mass block, determine the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy based on the power demand and the conversion power, and control the unlockable slave to unlock based on the number of mass blocks that need to release gravitational potential energy.

7. The system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to, when receiving an energy storage request, identify the mass block whose gravitational potential energy has been released, determine that the mass block whose gravitational potential energy has been released corresponds to the lockable slave on the side away from the motor, push a locking command to the determined lockable slave, and push a power start command to the motor.

8. The system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The cable is a chain and the driven member is a gear set; or, the cable is a rope and the driven member is a pulley set.

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